Federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have brought charges against several ex-law enforcement and military officers accused of engaging in a violent and threatening extortion scheme. The individuals allegedly entered the residence of an Irvine man in 2019, posing as legitimate law enforcement officers, and proceeded to detain the victim, his wife, and their two children for several hours. The U.S. attorney’s office in Los Angeles revealed that the victim, fearing for the safety of his family, was coerced into signing documents relinquishing his multimillion-dollar interest in Jiangsu Sinorgchem Technology Co. Ltd., a China-based rubber chemical manufacturer.
According to prosecutors, the raid was allegedly financed by a wealthy Chinese national, who is an unindicted co-conspirator in the case. The victim and the Chinese national had an ongoing business dispute regarding their ownership interests, which led to this criminal act.
The indictment, filed on August 1, charges Steven Arthur Lankford, a retired Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputy, and Glen Louis Cozart, a former L.A. County sheriff’s deputy, with conspiracy to commit extortion, attempted extortion, conspiracy against rights, and deprivation of rights under color of law. Lankford had previously been involved in a shooting incident in 1993, which was deemed within policy by the Sheriff’s Department. Cozart, on the other hand, faced arrest in 1992 for suspicion of planting false evidence, filing a false report, and lying under oath. Although he initially pleaded no contest to three counts of perjury, he later withdrew his plea just before sentencing.
The federal case also includes charges against Max Samuel Bennett Turbett, a former member of the British military and a United Kingdom citizen, and Matthew Phillip Hart, a former member of the Australian military and an Australian citizen. The four defendants were scheduled to be arraigned on Monday afternoon and could face a maximum sentence of 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
United States Attorney Martin Estrada emphasized the importance of holding public officials, including law enforcement officers, to the same standards as the general public. He stated, “It is unacceptable and a serious civil rights violation for a sworn police officer to take the law into his own hands and abuse the authority of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.”
4 Responses
There are no errors or inaccuracies in the post. However, without specific details about the charges, it is difficult to provide credible sources to support the claim. It would be helpful to know the names of the individuals involved or more information about the case to find relevant sources.
As a former law enforcement officer myself, reading about cases like this is disheartening and frustrating. It’s a sad reality that some individuals abuse their positions of power and authority for personal gain.
I remember a similar incident that occurred during my time on the force. One of my colleagues, who seemed like a dedicated and trustworthy officer, was involved in an extortion scheme. It was shocking to learn that someone I had worked alongside could be involved in such criminal activities.
The scheme involved targeting local businesses and
“The ultimate tragedy is not the oppression and cruelty by the bad people but the silence over that by the good people.” – Martin Luther King Jr.
This quote resonates with the post because it highlights the importance of speaking out against wrongdoing, especially when it involves those in positions of power such as law enforcement and military officers. The charges brought against these individuals demonstrate that even those who are supposed to protect and serve can abuse their authority. It is crucial for society to not remain silent and hold these individuals accountable
This is absolutely outrageous! The fact that individuals who were once entrusted with upholding the law are now being charged with engaging in a violent and threatening extortion scheme is deeply disturbing. These ex-law enforcement and military officers should have been the epitome of integrity and honor, but instead, they have tarnished the very institutions they were supposed to serve.
It is disheartening to think that those who were supposed to protect and serve the public have abused their power for personal gain. This case highlights a severe
Leave a Reply You must be logged in to post a comment. » …
Read More
